Bonfire of the Vanities

THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES IS A NOVEL, BUT IT IS BASED ON THE SAME SORT OF DETAILED ON-SCENE REPORTING AS WOLFE'S GREAT NONFICTION BESTSELLER, THE RIGHT STUFF, RADICAL CHIC & MAU-MAUING THE FLAK CATCHERS, AND THE ELECTRIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST. AND IT IS EVERY BIT AS EYE-OPENING IN ITS ACHIEVEMENTS. IT IS A BIG, PANORAMIC STORY OF THE METROPOLIS-THE KIND OF FICTION STRANGELY ABSENT FROM OUR LITERATURE IN THE SECOND HALF OF THIS CENTURY-THAT REINFORCES TOM WOLFE'S REPUTATION AS THE FOREMOST CHRONICLER ON THE WAY WE LIVE IN AMERICA.